Temperature: warm summers and cold winters with temperatures around 26 degrees Celsius in August and down to -10 degrees in January

Currency: The Canadian dollar is divided into 100 cents. C$1 is worth about HK$7.30

Must See: The Grouse Grind

One of the most popular hangouts for locals and tourists is the peak of Grouse Mountain that overlooks Vancouver.

Year-round attractions include the Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, which has grizzly bears, peregrine falcons and grey wolves, a Lumberjack show, and some fine dining spots with bird's eye views of the city below.

Wintertime visitors can enjoy sleigh rides, skiing, snowboarding and snow shoeing through the forests.

If you love hiking, start by taking the 3km trail to the top of the mountain. Alternatively, take the lazy way and ride the Skyride tram, North America's largest aerial tramway.

Must Eat:

Lumberjack's Breakfast

Vancouver's famous Lumberjack's Breakfast includes at least three eggs, slices of bacon, sausages and pancakes. You might also find baked beans, toast and grape jelly (jam) on your plate.

Also called the Logger's Breakfast, this massive meal was first sold by the city's Granville Hotel. It was put together by hotel owner J. Houston at the request of his lumberjack clients who wanted a breakfast big enough to get them through their busy day.

If you want a taste of home, take advantage of the many dim sum shops run by chefs who left Hong Kong for Vancouver at the time of the handover.

Speak Canadian!

Check out these Canadians slang expressions that are guaranteed to confuse tourists

Double-double A cup of coffee with two creams and two sugars

ABM An Automatic Bank Machine - what we call an ATM

Loonie A Canadian one-dollar coin, so called because it has a picture of a loon, a bird similar to a duck

Toonie A Canadian two-dollar coin, so called because it rhymes with 'Loonie'

Tuque (pronounced 'tu:k') A woolly winter hat, sometimes with a pompom

Art and Culture: Music

Vancouver is a very musical city. The CBC Radio Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Vancouver Opera give classical music performances all year round.

There's also a big rock presence that has given us international superstars, such as Bryan Adams (left) and Sarah McLachlan (above).

City people also like their punk music. In fact, December 21, 2003 was declared DOA Day in honour of the hardcore punk band's 25th anniversary.

Fab Fact

If you visit Vancouver between May and September, take a whale-watching tour and see killer whales, Dall's porpoises, sea lions and seals.

Quiz

Answer the following questions. To test your memory, try answering without referring to the text. If you can't remember the details, read the piece again.

1. Vancouver lies on Canada's ...

a. west coast.

b. east coast.

c. southern border.

2. Describe Vancouver's February weather:

a. Humid

b. Hot

c. Frosty

3. What is the city's mountain called?

a. Grouse Mountain

b. Grease Mountain

c. Grace Mountain

4. What's a Loonie?

a. A coffee with 2 sugars.

b. Canadian one-dollar coin.

c. Type of cream cake

5. DOA day celebrates ...

a. Canadian Independence.

b. singer Bryan Adam's birthday.

c. the anniversary of the band DOA.

6. What sort of bears live in Vancouver?

A. Polar bears

B. Grizzly bears

C. Sun bears

Answers

1. A

2. C

3. A

4. B

5. C

6. B